U.S. patent application number 10/405870 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-12 for simultaneous induction heating and stirring of a molten metal.
Invention is credited to Fishman, Oleg S., Mortimer, John H., Nadot, Vladimir V..
Application Number | 20040028111 10/405870 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26760943 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040028111 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Fishman, Oleg S. ; et
al. |
February 12, 2004 |
Simultaneous induction heating and stirring of a molten metal
Abstract
Molten metal, or other electrically conductive material, in a
vessel can be inductively heated, and simultaneously inductively
stirred. A single-phase ac supply provides induction heating power
to at least one set of three induction coil sections surrounding
the vessel. A three-phase ac supply provides induction stirring
power to at least one set of three induction coil sections
surrounding the vessel. The single-phase ac supply is capacitively
connected to the coil sections to form a heat resonance circuit,
and the three-phase ac supply is inductively connected to the coil
sections to form a stir resonance circuit. The heat circuit
capacitive elements provide a sufficient impedance to the output of
the three-phase ac supply to block power transfer from its output
to the input of the single-phase supply. The stir circuit inductive
elements provide a sufficient impedance to the output of the
single-phase supply to block power transfer from its output to the
input of the three-phase supply.
Inventors: |
Fishman, Oleg S.; (Maple
Glen, PA) ; Mortimer, John H.; (Medford, NJ) ;
Nadot, Vladimir V.; (Voorhees, NJ) |
Correspondence
Address: |
PHILIP O. POST
INDEL, INC.
PO BOX 157
RANCOCAS
NJ
08073
US
|
Family ID: |
26760943 |
Appl. No.: |
10/405870 |
Filed: |
April 2, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
10405870 |
Apr 2, 2003 |
|
|
|
10078790 |
Feb 19, 2002 |
|
|
|
6546039 |
|
|
|
|
60269666 |
Feb 16, 2001 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
373/146 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B 6/04 20130101; H05B
6/30 20130101; H05B 2213/02 20130101; H05B 6/067 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
373/146 |
International
Class: |
F27D 023/04 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for simultaneously heating and stirring by magnetic
induction an electrically conductive material in a vessel having a
plurality of induction coils disposed around the vessel, the
plurality of induction coils connected together to form at least
one three-phase impedance network, the apparatus comprising: a
single-phase ac power source having an output operating at an
induction heating frequency; a three-phase ac power source having
an output operating at an induction stirring frequency, the
induction stirring frequency less than the induction heating
frequency, at least one capacitive element connecting the output of
the single-phase ac power source to the plurality of induction
coils to form a heating circuit operative at or near resonant
frequency to supply an ac heating current to the plurality of
induction coils, the ac heating current creating in use a heating
magnetic field, the heating magnetic field inductively coupled with
the electrically conductive material to heat the electrically
conductive material; and at least one inductive element connecting
the output of the three-phase ac power source to the plurality of
induction coils to form a stirring circuit to supply an ac stirring
current to the plurality of induction coils, the ac stirring
current creating in use a stirring magnetic field, the stirring
magnetic field inductively coupled with the electrically conductive
material to stir the electrically conductive material; whereby the
at least one capacitive element substantially blocks the output of
the three-phase power source from the output of the single-phase ac
power source and the at least one inductive element blocks the
output of the single-phase ac power source from the output of the
three-phase ac power source.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the induction stir frequency
is variable over a frequency range.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the three-phase ac power
source is a pulse width modulated power source having a variable
frequency output.
4. An apparatus for simultaneous induction heating and stirring an
electrically conductive material in a vessel, the apparatus
comprising: a plurality of induction coils disposed around the
vessel, the plurality of induction coils connected together to form
at least one three-phase impedance network comprising a wye circuit
having a common terminal for all of the plurality of induction
coils, and a first, second and third terminals; a first, second,
and third pair of heat circuit capacitors, each of the capacitors
in the first, second and third pairs of heat circuit capacitors
having approximately the same capacitance, each of the first,
second and third pairs of heat circuit capacitors having a first
and second end terminals, and a common terminal connecting the two
capacitors in each pair of heat circuit capacitors together, the
common terminal of each of the first, second and third pair of heat
circuit capacitors exclusively connected to each of the first,
second and third terminals of the wye circuit; a single-phase ac
heating power supply, the single-phase ac heating power supply
having a positive dc bus and a negative dc bus, and a first output
heat supply terminal, the first output heat supply terminal
comprising the center of a half-bridge circuit of the single-phase
ac heating power supply, the positive dc bus connected to the first
end terminals of the first, second and third pairs of heat circuit
capacitors, and the negative dc bus connected to the second end
terminals of the first, second and third pairs of heat circuit
capacitors, the first output heat supply terminal connected to the
common terminal of the wye circuit, the single-phase ac heating
power supply operating at a heat frequency; a plurality of stir
circuit inductors, each one of the plurality of stir circuit
inductors having a first inductor terminal and a second inductor
terminal, the first inductor terminal of each one of the plurality
of stir circuit inductors connected exclusively to the first,
second and third common terminals of the first, second and third
pair of heat circuit capacitors; and a three-phase ac power supply
having three output terminals, each of the three output terminals
connected exclusively to the second inductor terminal of one of the
plurality of stir circuit inductors, the three-phase ac power
supply operating at a stir frequency, the stir frequency less than
the heat frequency, whereby the single-phase ac power supply
provides heat power to the at least one three-phase impedance
network to heat the electrically conductive material and the
plurality of stir circuit inductors effectively blocks heat power
from the single phase ac heating power supply to the three-phase ac
power supply, and the three-phase ac power supply provides stir
power to the at least one three-phase impedance network to stir the
electrically conductive material and the heat circuit capacitor
effectively blocks stir power from the three-phase ac power supply
to the single-phase ac heating power supply.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the stir frequency is variable
over a frequency range.
6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the three-phase ac power
supply is a pulse width modulated power supply having a variable
frequency output.
7. A method of simultaneously heating and stirring by magnetic
induction an electrically conductive material in a vessel having a
plurality of induction coils disposed around the vessel, the
plurality of induction coils connected together to form at least
one three-phase impedance network, the method comprising the steps:
providing a single-phase ac power source having an output operating
at an induction heating frequency; providing a three-phase ac power
source having an output operating at an induction stirring
frequency, the induction stirring frequency less than the induction
heating frequency, connecting the output of the single-phase ac
power source to the plurality of induction coils by at least one
capacitive element to form a heating circuit operating at or near
resonant frequency to supply an ac heating current to the plurality
of induction coils, the ac heating current creating a heating
magnetic field, the heating magnetic field inductively coupled with
the electrically conductive material to heat the electrically
conductive material; and connecting the output of the three-phase
ac power source to the plurality of induction coils by at least one
inductive element to form a stirring circuit to supply an ac
stirring current to the plurality of induction coils, the ac
stirring current creating a stirring magnetic field, the stirring
magnetic field inductively coupled with the electrically conductive
material to stir the electrically conductive material; whereby the
at least one capacitive element substantially blocks the output of
the three-phase power supply from the output of the single-phase ac
power supply and the at least one inductive element blocks the
output of the single-phase supply from the output of the
three-phase supply.
8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of varying
the frequency of the output of the three-phase ac power source.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the three-phase ac power
supply is a pulse width modulated power supply having a variable
frequency output.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
application Ser. No. 10/078,790, filed Feb. 19, 2002, which claims
the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/269,666, filed
Feb. 16, 2001.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is in the technical field of
inductively heating and stirring electrically conductive molten
materials wherein the heating and stirring can be accomplished
simultaneously.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is well known in the art to melt an electrically
conductive material, such as a metal, to heat (or melt) the molten
metal, and to hold the melt at a temperature by placing the metal
in an induction furnace or holding crucible and magnetically
coupling the metal to an ac magnetic field. The field is produced
in one or more induction coils surrounding the crucible by the flow
of ac current from a power source. To maintain sufficient
electromagnetic stirring, the electrical frequency of the current
is reduced as the furnace capacity increases and the applied ac
induction power (and current) increases. For example, a furnace
with a melt capacity of 35,000 pounds (16 tonnes) of iron has an
optimal power supply frequency of approximately 150 Hz, whereas a
furnace with a melt capacity of 5,000 pounds (21/4 tonnes) of steel
has an ideal power supply frequency of approximately 600 Hz.
[0004] It is also well known that a melt subjected to an ac
magnetic field will move when eddy currents generated in the melt
by the applied field produce a flux field that opposes the applied
magnetic field. Generally, fields produced by higher frequency
currents will result in little stirring action and fields produced
by lower frequency currents will result in preferred
electromagnetic stirring motions with circular-like flow streams
through the melt. Further the turbulence of the flow will increase
as the magnitude of the applied field (supplied current) is
increased.
[0005] For some melt compositions and applications, the
pre-selected frequency of a single ac power supply may provide both
heating and stirring actions that are sufficient for the process.
In other applications, separate heat and stir frequencies may be
used. There are numerous prior art approaches to applying ac power
to a melt at two different frequencies to achieve the heating and
stirring functions. Earlier approaches focused on using switching
arrangements that alternatively isolated heating and melting power
sources from the induction coil sections. Switching arrangements
are disadvantageous in that they do not allow for simultaneous
heating and stirring of the melt and require additional system
components.
[0006] Later approaches focused on system topologies that
simultaneously applied heating power (operating at a pre-selected
heat frequency) and stirring power (operating at a pre-selected
stir frequency). A significant technical problem to be overcome in
these systems is adequate electrical isolation between the
simultaneously connected heating and stirring ac power supplies.
Failure to provide this isolation when electronic ac power sources
are used can result in component malfunction or failure in a power
supply that has its output connected to a second power supply
operating at a different output voltage and/or frequency.
[0007] One solution to this technical problem is identified in U.S.
Pat. No. 5,012,487, entitled Induction Melting (the 487 patent).
FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic that represents the prior art
teachings of the 487 patent. In FIG. 1 an electrostatically
screened three-phase transformer 126, having primary windings 124
and secondary windings 128, is used to provide stirring power to
three coil sections, 114a, 114b and 114c, that make up an induction
coil for an induction melting vessel. Stirring power is provided
from a 50 Hz, three-phase power source 120 (utility service power).
The transformer also uses a tertiary three-phase winding 127 that
feeds a three-phase delta-connected power factor correction
arrangement (not shown in the simplified schematic). Capacitors
138a, 138b and 138c are connected to the three coil sections as
shown in FIG. 1. The high voltage single-phase output of the
heating power source 136, operating in the frequency range of 150
Hz to 10 kHz, provides heating power to the coil sections through
the capacitors. By selecting the impedance of the capacitors, the
coil sections and the secondary of transformer, so that the
resultant L-C series circuit is at resonance for the operating
frequency of the heating power supply, heating power is transferred
from the heating power supply to the coil sections. The 50 Hz
stirring power source, operating at off-resonant frequency, is
impeded from being applied to the input terminals of the heating
power source 136 by the tuned series-resonant circuit. Conversely,
heating power is blocked from the stirring power source since the
secondary windings of transformer 126 are effectively in parallel
at the operating frequency of the heating power source.
[0008] There are a few disadvantages to the circuit arrangements
disclosed in the 487 patent. Power transformer 126 is an expensive
component with voltage tap changers (not shown in the simplified
schematic) and the tertiary winding as further described in the 487
patent. Further the operating frequency difference between the heat
power source and the stir power source must exceed a certain range
for the series resonant circuit to operate effectively. This is
particularly problematic for large capacity induction melting
vessels.
[0009] Therefore, there exists the need for apparatus for and
method of simultaneously induction heating and stirring a melt from
two separate power supplies, without the use of isolation
transformers or switches, wherein the frequency of stir power
supply (and induced stir field) is less than the frequency of the
heat power supply (and induced heat field), particularly when the
frequency of the heat power supply is close in frequency of the
stir power supply.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In one aspect, the invention is apparatus for and method of
simultaneous induction heating and stirring of an electrically
conductive material in a vessel having at least one set of three
interconnected induction coil sections disposed around the vessel.
Inductive heating of the electrically conductive material is
accomplished by applying single-phase ac power across the coil
sections via one or more tuning capacitors and stirring of the
electrically conductive material is accomplished by applying
three-phase ac power to the coil sections via one or more
inductors. In some examples of the invention, the capacitive
heating circuit and the coil sections operate at or near a first
resonant point and the inductive stir circuit and the coil sections
operate at or near a second resonant point while the tuning
capacitors and inductors block power transfer between the sources
of the single-phase and three-phase ac power. In other examples of
the invention, the capacitive heating circuit and the coil sections
operate at or near a resonant point while the tuning capacitors and
inductors block power transfer between the three-phase ac induction
stirring power source and the single-phase ac induction heating
power source.
[0011] These and other aspects of the invention are set forth in
the specification and claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The figures, in conjunction with the specification and
claims, illustrate one or more non-limiting modes of practicing the
invention. The invention is not limited to the illustrated layout
and content of the drawings.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic of a prior art arrangement
for achieving simultaneous induction heating and stirring of a melt
in an induction melting vessel.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a simplified single-line schematic diagram of one
example of an arrangement for simultaneous induction heating and
melting of an electrically conductive molten material in accordance
with the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 3(a) is an elementary schematic diagram of one example
for simultaneous induction heating and melting of an electrically
conductive molten material in accordance with the present invention
using a voltage-fed full bridge converter as the single-phase
heating power source and a three-phase dc-to-ac inverter as the
three-phase stirring power source wherein the induction coil
sections disposed around the vessel are connected in an open-delta
configuration relative to the three-phase stirring power
source.
[0016] FIG. 3(b) is an elementary schematic diagram of another
example for simultaneous induction heating and melting of an
electrically conductive molten material in accordance with the
present invention using a voltage-fed half bridge converter as the
single-phase heating power source and a three-phase dc-to-ac
inverter as the three-phase stirring power source wherein the
induction coil sections disposed around the vessel are connected in
an open-delta configuration relative to the three-phase stirring
power source.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a first graphical illustration of the output
current from a pulse width modulated (PWM) power supply used as a
three-phase power source for electromagnetic stirring in the
present invention.
[0018] FIG. 5 is a second graphical illustration of the output
current from a pulse width modulated (PWM) power supply used as a
three-phase power source for electromagnetic stirring in the
present invention.
[0019] FIG. 6(a) is an elementary schematic diagram of another
example for simultaneous induction heating and melting of an
electrically conductive molten material in accordance with the
present invention using a voltage-fed full bridge converter as the
single-phase heating power source and a three-phase dc-to-ac
inverter as the three-phase stirring power source wherein the
induction coil sections disposed around the vessel are connected in
a wye configuration relative to the three-phase stirring power
source.
[0020] FIG. 6(b) is an elementary schematic diagram of another
example for simultaneous induction heating and melting of an
electrically conductive molten material in accordance with the
present invention using a voltage-fed half bridge converter as the
single-phase heating power source and a three-phase dc-to-ac
inverter as the three-phase stirring power source wherein induction
coil sections disposed around the vessel are connected in a wye
configuration relative to the three-phase stirring power
source.
[0021] FIG. 6(c) is an elementary schematic diagram of another
example for simultaneous induction heating and melting of an
electrically conductive molten material in accordance with the
present invention using a voltage-fed half bridge converter as the
single-phase heating power source and a three-phase dc-to-ac
inverter as the three-phase stirring power source wherein the
induction coil sections disposed around the vessel are connected in
a wye configuration relative to the three-phase stirring power
source.
[0022] FIG. 7 schematically illustrates one method of using
transformers for changing the output characteristics of a
single-phase heating power supply or a three-phase stirring power
supply used in examples of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] There is shown in FIG. 2 a simplified single-line schematic
diagram of one example of the simultaneous induction heating and
stirring apparatus 10 of the present invention. Single-phase
heating source 12 is any type of source that will provide induction
heating power to induction coil L1. The coil surrounds a heating
vessel or crucible (not shown in the drawing) containing an
electrically conductive molten material, or melt. The induction
heating power can be used to melt electrically conductive material
in the vessel, as well as keep it at a desired temperature once the
material has been melted, and while additional material is added to
the melt. Therefore, the term "heating" as used herein also
encompasses induction heating power for melting material in the
vessel. The preferred, but non-limiting, frequency range for a
power source that is used to heat the electrically conductive
material is from approximately 100 Hz to 100 kHz. C1 represents one
or more tuning capacitors that are used to improve the power factor
of the C1-L1 series circuit. Power source 16 represents one phase
of a three-phase stirring power source. The three-phase source is
any type of source that can provide electromagnetic stir power to
induction coil L1. As further described below, a suitable, but
non-limiting, range of output frequency for the stirring power
supply is between 1 Hertz and approximately 100 Hertz.
[0024] Referring to the example of FIG. 2, for a heating power
source 12 operating at a frequency, f.sub.h, of 160 Hertz, and an
induction coil L1 having an inductance (L.sub.1) equal to
50.multidot.10.sup.-6 Henries, the capacitance (C.sub.1) of
capacitor C1, which forms a series resonant circuit with coil L1,
can be calculated from the equation: 1 C 1 = 1 2 L 1
[0025] where .omega.=2.pi.f.sub.h. The equation leads to a value of
approximately 20 mFarads for C.sub.1. Further, for resonance at 160
Hertz, the reactive impedance, X.sub.L1, of coil L1 will be
approximately 0.05 ohms (from the equation X.sub.L1=.omega.L.sub.1)
and the reactive impedance, X.sub.C1, of capacitor C1 will be
approximately 0.05 ohms (from the equation
X.sub.C1=1/.omega.C.sub.1). Coil resistance is represented by
resistive element R1. A typical value of induction coil resistance,
R1.sub.heat, as reflected in the coil L1 load, is approximately 10
percent of the reactive impedance of coil L1. Therefore,
R1.sub.heat is approximately equal to 0.005 ohms. For a magnitude
of heating power equal to 5 megawatts (5.multidot.10.sup.6 W), the
current that the L1-C1 resonant circuit will draw from heating
power supply 12 is approximately 31,500 amperes, as calculated from
the equation: 2 I = P R 1 heat .
[0026] For a stirring power source operating at a frequency,
f.sub.s, of 2.5 Hertz, the resistance, R1.sub.stir, of induction
coil L1 at 2.5 Hertz can be calculated from the equation: 3 R 1
stir = R 1 heat f s f h
[0027] as approximately 0.00062 ohms. At the stir frequency of 2.5
Hz, the reactive impedance of coil L1 will be approximately 0.00079
ohms, and the reactive impedance of C1 will be approximately 3.2
ohms. The output of stirring power source 16 is adjusted so that
the induction coil L1 draws approximately one-half of the heating
current. For this example, the stir current, I.sub.stir, will be
approximately 8,000 amperes. Stir power, P.sub.stir, can be
calculated from the equation: 4 P stir = I stir 2 R 1 stir
[0028] as 40 kilowatts, or 0.8% of heating power. Inductor L2, in
the line of the stirring power source 16, is selected to have a
relatively high impedance with respect to the impedance of
induction coil L1. In this example, the inductor, L2, is selected
as 4.multidot.10.sup.-3 Henries, which is eighty times the
inductance of coil L1. At 160 Hertz, the reactive impedance of
inductor L2 can be calculated as approximately 4.0 ohms. At 2.5
Hertz, the reactive impedance of inductor L2 can be calculated as
approximately 0.006 ohms. The resistance of inductor L2 is ignored
since it is significantly smaller in value than the reactance of
the inductor.
[0029] The following table summarizes the approximate impedance of
each passive circuit component for the present example:
1 Impedance (ohms) at Impedance (ohms) at Heat Frequency (160 Hz)
Stir Frequency (2.5 Hz) Capacitor C1 0.05 3.2 Coil L1 0.05 0.00079
Coil Resistance R1 0.005 0.00062 Inductor L2 4.0 0.006
[0030] As illustrated by the impedance values in the above table
for the circuit shown in FIG. 2, the C1-L1-R1 series circuit offers
a relatively low impedance path to the output current from heating
power source 12. Conversely, inductor L2 effectively blocks current
from the heating power source 12 from flowing through stirring
power source 16. The L2-L1-R1 series circuit offers a relatively
low impedance path to the output current from stirring power source
16, whereas capacitor C1 effectively blocks current from the
stirring power source 16 from flowing through heating power source
12.
[0031] The following table summarizes the contributions of the
heating and stirring power sources to the voltage across, current
through, and power used in coil L1:
2 Contribution Contribution from Heating from Stirring Power Source
(160 Hz) Power Source (2.5 Hz) Coil L1 Current 31,500 8,000
(amperes) Coil L1 Voltage 1,700 11 (volts) Power, L1 Coil 5,000 40
(kW)
[0032] Coil L1 voltage is calculated from the product of the
magnitude of coil L1 current and the magnitude of coil L1 impedance
(reactive and resistive) for the appropriate power source.
[0033] Consequently, the heating power source 12 supplies 31,500
amperes to coil L1 and approximately 425 amperes (determined by
dividing coil L1 voltage for heating power source 12 by the
impedance of inductor L2 at heat frequency) to the input of
stirring power source 16. Stirring power source 16 supplies 8,000
amperes to coil L1 and approximately 3.4 amperes (determined by
dividing coil L1 voltage for stirring power source 16 by the
impedance of capacitor C1 at stir frequency) to the input of
heating power source 12. The approximately 425 amperes imposed on
the input of the stirring power source 16, which can be a solid
state, pulse width modulated supply as further described below, is
deemed an acceptable current level that will not impact the
performance of the stirring power source. Similarly the
approximately 3.4 amperes imposed on the input of the heating power
source 12, which can be a solid state, series-resonant power supply
as further described below, is deemed an acceptable current level
that will not impact the performance of the heating power
source.
[0034] FIG. 3(a) illustrates another example of simultaneous
induction heating and melting of an electrically conductive molten
material in accordance with the present invention wherein three
induction coil sections 14a, 14b and 14c are interconnected to form
a three-phase, delta-configured impedance network. Terminals 1a and
4a of coil sections 14a and 14c, respectively, are not connected
together. Therefore the circuit arrangement of the induction coil
sections will be referred to as an open delta, three-phase
impedance network. FIG. 3(a) illustrates one non-limiting example
of how the three coil sections may be arranged around vessel 11
that contains the electrically conductive material. Capacitor C12
is selected to form series circuit with induction coil segments
14a, 14b and 14c that operates at or near resonance when connected
to the heating power source. In this example, the single-phase ac
heating power source is a voltage-fed, full bridge converter 12a
utilizing an ac-to-dc rectifier section 21 that has an input from
three-phase ac supply lines 20. Output terminals of the power
supply's full bridge converter are designated T11 and T12.
Capacitor C11 and inductor L11 filter the dc power output from the
rectifier section. The filtered dc power is inverted to variable ac
power in inverter section 22 of the converter. Capacitor C12 is
connected between open delta terminal 4a of the three-phase
impedance network and one output terminal, T11, of the single-phase
ac supply. The second output terminal, T12, of the single-phase ac
supply is connected to open delta terminal 1a of the three-phase
impedance network. In this configuration, ac current that is
supplied from the single-phase ac heating power source and flows
through the coils sections creates a magnetic field that
magnetically couples with the electrically conductive material
inside the vessel to heat the material. The capacitance of
capacitor C12 is selected to form a series resonant circuit with
the three coil sections and to provide a relatively high impedance
to the output of the three-phase stirring supply which operates at
a stir frequency lower than the frequency of the heating power
supply.
[0035] Stirring power source 16a can be a three-phase dc-to-ac
inverter that utilizes solid state switching topologies, including
power transistors such as an Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
(IGBT). Although a separate rectifier assembly could be used as an
input to stirring power source 16a, in this particular example,
rectifier assembly 21 also provides dc input to the stirring power
source's inverter via interconnecting dc output positive bus DC1
and negative bus DC2. Each output line (T31, T32 and T33) of the
three-phase inverter supply is connected to an end terminal of coil
segments 14a, 14b and 14c via inductors L2a, L2b and L2c,
respectively. Inductors L2a, L2b, and L2c, are power inductors
(typically, but not limited to, metal core design) with
approximately the same inductance, which is much greater than the
inductance of a coil section. In this configuration, ac current
that is supplied from the three-phase ac stirring power source and
flows through the coils sections creates a magnetic field that
magnetically couples with the electrically conductive material
inside the vessel to electromagnetically stir the material. In one
example of the invention, the inductances of inductors L2a, L2b and
L2c are selected to form a resonant circuit with the three coil
sections and to provide a relatively high impedance to the output
of the single-phase heating supply that operates at a higher
frequency. However, since capacitor C12 blocks current from
stirring power source 16a to heating power source 12a, and
inductors L2a, L2b and L2c block current from heating power source
12a to stirring power source 16a, there is no need for inductors
L2a, L2b and L2c to form a resonant circuit with the three coil
sections. Further since there is generally no appreciable
capacitance in the stirring power source, inductors and coil
segments circuit, resonant is not generally achievable in the stir
circuit.
[0036] The output frequency of the stirring power source 16a will
generally be less than the output frequency of the heating power
source. The magnitude and frequency of the three-phase ac output
from the stirring power source 16a can be electronically adjusted
by controlling the gate timing of the power transistors with
circuitry known in the art. The frequency and magnitude of stirring
current drawn from stirring power source 16a can be varied to
achieve different stirring patterns while a melt is simultaneously
heated. Generally the frequency of the stirring current will affect
the magnetic stirring pattern and the magnitude of the stirring
current will affect the intensity of the stirring action. As
illustrated in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, if the stirring power source 16a
operates as a PWM power supply, changing the pulse width and
frequency of the output supply current pulses as illustrated by
curves 40a and 40b, will result in changes of the effective
magnitude and frequency of output stirring current as illustrated
by curves 42a and 42b.
[0037] FIG. 3(b) illustrates another example of simultaneous
induction heating and melting of an electrically conductive molten
material in accordance with the present invention. In this example,
single-phase ac heating power supply 12b is a voltage-fed half
bridge converter 12b with half bridge inverter section 22a.
Capacitors C12a and C12b, having approximately the same
capacitance, replace capacitor C12 in FIG. 3(a). The capacitors are
connected in series across the positive and negative dc buses, DC1
and DC2, respectively, of the heating power supply. In this
configuration, the output terminals of the heating power supply are
designated as terminals T11a and T12a, with terminal T11a at the
center of the half-bridge circuit, and terminal T12a at the common
connection between capacitors C12a and C12b. Open-delta terminal 4b
is connected to terminal T11a and open-delta terminal 1b is
connected to terminal T12a. Otherwise, this example of the
invention is similar to the previous example illustrated in FIG.
3(a).
[0038] FIG. 6(a) illustrates another example of simultaneous
induction heating and melting of an electrically conductive molten
material in accordance with the present invention. This example
varies from the example illustrated in FIG. 3(a) in that the three
induction coil sections 14a, 14b and 14c are interconnected in a
wye three-phase impedance network, rather than an open delta,
three-phase impedance network. FIG. 6(a) illustrates one
non-limiting example of how the three coil sections may be arranged
around vessel 11 that contains the electrically conductive
materials. The wye three-phase impedance network has phase coil
terminals 1c, 2c and 3c, and common coil terminal 4c for all
induction coil sections. Capacitors C12c, C12d and C12e have one of
their terminals connected to coil terminals 2c, 3c and 1c,
respectively. The second terminals of all theses capacitors are
commonly connected to output terminal, T11, of the single-phase ac
supply 12a. The second output terminal, T12, of the single-phase ac
supply is connected to common coil terminal 4c. Each of the output
lines, T31, T32 and T33, of the three-phase inverter supply is
connected to coil terminals 2c, 3c and 1c, respectively, of coil
segments 14b, 14c and 14a via inductors L2a, L2b and L2c,
respectively. Otherwise, this example of the invention is similar
to the previous example illustrated in FIG. 3(a).
[0039] FIG. 7 illustrates one method of providing a voltage step-up
or step-down of the output of the single-phase ac supply in FIG.
6(a) by providing an autotransformer 40 across the output terminals
T11 and T12 of the supply. The autotransformer may also be replaced
by a conventional four-terminal transformer. Further voltage
step-up or step-down of the output of the three-phase ac supply in
FIG. 6(a) can be accomplished by using transformer elements T2a,
T2b and T2c to replace inductors L2a, L2b and L2c, respectively, in
FIG. 6(a). These voltage transformations may also be provided in
other examples of the invention with appropriate modifications.
[0040] FIG. 6(b) illustrates another example of simultaneous
induction heating and melting of an electrically conductive molten
material in accordance with the present invention. This example
varies from the example illustrated in FIG. 3(b) in that the three
induction coil sections 14a, 14b and 14c are interconnected in a
wye three-phase impedance network, rather than an open delta
three-phase impedance network. Capacitors C12f, C12g and C12h have
one of their terminals connected to coil terminals 2c, 3c and 1c,
respectively. The second terminals of all theses capacitors are
commonly connected to output terminal, T12a, of the single-phase ac
supply 12b. Otherwise, this example of the invention is similar to
the previous example illustrated in FIG. 6(a).
[0041] FIG. 6(c) is another example of the present invention
wherein the heating power source is a voltage-fed half-bridge
converter 12c utilizing an ac-to-dc rectifier section 21 that has
an input of three phase ac lines 20. Capacitor C11 and inductor L11
filter the dc power outputted from the rectifier section. The
filtered de power is inverted to variable ac power in inverter
section 22 of the converter. Three induction coil sections 14a, 14b
and 14c are interconnected in a wye configuration relative to the
three-phase stir source 16a. Terminal 4c is a common coil
connection for all induction coil sections.
[0042] In FIG. 6(c), three pairs of capacitors, C1c/C1d, C1e/C1f
and C1g/C1h, all having substantially equal values of capacitance,
are connected across dc output positive bus DC1 and negative bus
DC2. Single-phase ac heating power is provided to terminals 1c, 2c
and 3c of the induction coil sections from the common connection
points of C1c/C1d, C1e/C1f and C1g/C1h respectively. Output
terminal T12a of the single-phase ac supply 12c is connected to
common coil connection terminal 4c. In this configuration, the
single-phase ac heating power induces a magnetic field in the
induction coil sections, which in turn, inductively heat the melt
in vessel 11.
[0043] In FIG. 6(c), the three-phase stirring source 16a is similar
to the exemplary heating source shown in the other examples of the
invention. Output line T31 of the three-phase inverter supply is
connected to the common connection between capacitors C1c/C1d via
inductor L2a. In similar fashion, output lines T32 and T33 of the
three-phase inverter are connected to the common connections
between capacitor pairs C1e/C1f and C1g/C1h, respectively, via
inductors L2b and L2c, respectively. Inductors L2a, L2b and L2c are
power inductors (typically metal core design) with approximately
equal inductance, which is much greater than the inductance of a
coil section. Consequently, inductors L2a, L2b and L2c form a
wye-configured impedance network with the induction coil sections
through which current from the stirring source 16a induces magnetic
fields around the induction coils sections to stir the melt.
[0044] As illustrated by the above examples, the present invention
is directed to a single-phase ac heating supply connected to the
vessel's induction coil impedance network by one or more capacitive
elements to form an inductive heating circuit. That is, an
induction heating circuit that heats melt placed in the vessel by
magnetic induction. Components in the induction heating circuit are
selected so that the circuit is at or near resonance when driven by
the heating power source operating at an induction heating
frequency to maximize energy transfer from the source to the
induction coil impedance network. The three-phase ac stirring
supply is connected to the vessel's induction coil impedance
network by inductive elements to form an inductive stirring
circuit. That is, an induction stirring circuit that stirs melt
placed in the vessel by magnetic induction. For some examples of
the invention, components in the induction stirring circuit are
selected so that the circuit is at or near resonance when driven by
the stirring power supply operating at an inductive stirring
frequency. In other examples of the invention, and generally, the
induction stirring circuit is not constrained to operation at or
near any resonant point since maximization of energy transfer for
stir power is not important and the stirring circuit generally has
little or no capacitance. Further the capacitive elements and
inductive elements are selected to provide sufficient impedance to
block output power from the stirring power source to the heating
power source, and output power from the heating power source to the
stirring power source, respectively. Generally the inductive
stirring frequency is less than the inductive heating frequency.
Further the stir frequency may be varied over a range to provide a
varied electromagnetic stir pattern. Although this may result in
some off-resonant stir circuit operation, as indicated above, the
variance from any resonant point is acceptable.
[0045] Other types of single-phase power supplies and three-phase
power supplies can be used as heating and stirring power sources,
respectively, for the disclosed invention. Other three-phase
induction coil configurations may be utilized without deviating
from the scope of the invention. For example, the coil sections may
be physically arranged around the heating vessel to achieve a
particular heating and or melting variation along the height of the
molten material inside the vessel. Further, multiple three-phase
induction coil configurations may be provided with connections to
common (parallel) heating and/or stirring power sources, or
individual heating and/or stirring power sources for each of the
multiple three-phase induction coils.
[0046] The examples of the invention include reference to specific
electrical components. One skilled in the art may practice the
invention by substituting components that are not necessarily of
the same type but will create the desired conditions or accomplish
the desired results of the invention. For example, single
components may be substituted for multiple components or vice
versa.
[0047] The foregoing embodiments do not limit the scope of the
disclosed invention. The scope of the disclosed invention is
further set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *